St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-01-27
One NIGHT

bundle under one arm and me unuer
the other. The bundle was his wife's
mourning dress for her father. He
took it to pawn shop and pawned it
for enough to fill me twice. The poor
little woman never had decent dress
again.
"She was in rags. She was hungry.
I've seen Jack clutch her hand and
wrench the money she'd earned for hei
children's bread from it and then &c
off with me. Think of it | had to
aid and abet him, and hear her say
things about me that were very natur-
al, seeing she did not know how
hated the devils that lived in me, but
that were hard to bear. But he fell
down stairs with me in his pocket, and
broke his head and didn't break me-
He hit me against things to their In
Jury, not mine. | must have a guar
dian devil, l lasted so.
"One day-it was such bitter day
ice and snow and sleet everywhere
just i've years from the Christmas ia
been made a present to Jack, he stood,
ragged and dirty, at a bar-rOom stove,
with me in his poeket-my neck stick
ing out. Up came the proprietor.
"'Now, Jack Barker, he says, 'why
don't you go homer
"He was ashamed to have him there,
you see ragged creature with his
toes out, and black eye and broken
nose. He used to be called handsome
Jack Barker, before he took to filling
me. Think of that!
"Now he looked up with miserable
abject whine.
"'Go home with an empty bottle on
Christmas eve 2 says he. you didn't
use to say ego home" when | came
here with full pockets, Mr.. Jones'
"'Well, no, l didn't said the man ;
'and it would have been better if | had.
I'll fill your bottle for you, Jack Bar
kerr
''He filed it-goodness knows with
what-and the poor wretch staggered
home. Oh, the wretched cellar-the
miserable straw bed in the corner; the
wife lying sick upon it. L remember
them so well.
"She was very sick, and there was IA
little baby beside her. Just think of
another baby there.
"'Happy Christmas said he, as he
staggered in. Happy Christmas, old
grip
"'Happy y said she. 'Oh, this dread
full day That bottle came to us first
on Christmas
at takes so little to put drunken
man in a rage. He answered her with
an oath.
WAnybody would think was drunk
to hear you talk, said he.
"And the poor woman answered:
"fOh, good heaven are you ever
sober Oh, Jack Jack y
"And then he flew at her. He took
me by the neck, and beat her over the
head with me. The cork fell out and
the liquor poured over her breast and
over the face of the little babe lying
upon it. 1t mingled with her blood.
"At first she screamed. Then she
lay STILL Her face grew white. | knew
| was a murderer.
"'Oh, let me break = | cried. Let
me be broken into fragments
"But her fair flesh was mashed to
pulp, her delicate bones broken, and
was as sound as ever, when Jack, led
by heaven knows what mad fancy, left
his victim and staggered into the
street again. The snow was falling.
The air was white with it. He stag
gered along, muttering to himself. At
last he came to a wharf, and stumbled
across it. | believe n boat lay there
on which he had been once before, and
where they had given him drink.
"'Sea Bird, ahoy = he cried. 'Hullo !!
hullo Sea Bird, ahOy!
"NObody answered him.
"'I'm coming aboard he muttered
-T'm coming aboard. L shan't stay
at home to be preached to. Pm my
own MASTER
"Then he took one step more.
Splash crash! He was through the
thin ice under the water.
"'Thank heaven said [, my miser
able career is ended
"Then | turned cold as ice myself,
and there was roaring in my neck
Next thing | knew it was broad
daylight, and was floating on the
water.
1t was a bare-legged boy. He stopped
over the side of boat and caug int me.
There was man drowned here
last night said he to another boy at
his side.
Ibid you see him p said this one.
Yes said the first. 'He was
uTunh. anu klllcu HIS WIG. uOy NC
got an inquest on her, down in the
cellar over there. | say, Pm going to
sell this bottle to Bill the junk man.
$50, | was saved, and much against
my will stood in the junk shop win
dow for week. The water had wash
ed the blood off of me. | had no smell
of liquor left, and along comes your
wife,
"sWhat a nice fiat bottle ! says she,
.iust what | want. How much for it 2
"And Billie charged her four cents,
and home she brought me.
"My career of vice has begun again.
said l. And L expected nothing else;
but bless the dear soul, she put vine
gar in me-nice, sour, innocent, re-
spectacle vinegar and Pve been
good, reformed bottle ever since. And
now yOu-yOu-yOu-her hus-
band, are going to put the devllish
spirits into me again. For heavens
sake, break me first! | don't want to
destroy another household.
"sYOu shan't,' said Tommy Barna-
by. Here you go back on your shelf.
| leave you to innocence and vinegar
and / think Pll make Il cup of strong
Coffee
"'Right,' said the little bottle.
And so the bottle stands still beside
the cruet on Mrs. Barnaby's dresser
and Tom Barnaby is still a sober man.
Scribner's Magazine for February.